Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Free For All (1964/2012) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

"Free for All" is the 1964 masterpiece by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. The album features a stellar lineup, which includes Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller, Cedar Walton and Reggie Workman. The musicians display their undeniable chemistry and unmatched artistic powers. This seminal classical features the stellar tunes “The Core”, “Free for All” and “Pensativa”. "Free for All" is a historic outing that is essential for any collection.

Free for All is a high point in drummer Art Blakey's enormous catalog. This edition of the Jazz Messengers had been together since 1961 with a lineup that would be hard to beat: Freddie Hubbard on trumpet (his last session with the Messengers), Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Shorter's title track is one of the finest moments in the Jazz Messengers' history. In the eight minutes of "Free for All," an emotional apex is reached that skirts the edge of free bop without losing Blakey's rhythmic glue. Another Shorter composition, "Hammer Head," is a mid-tempo soul-blues groove, with Shorter, Hubbard, and Fuller taking exceptional solos while Blakey keeps the mid-tempo vigorously swinging. Hubbard's "The Core," dedicated to the Congress of Racial Equality, comes close to capturing the heat of the title cut, as it contains similar fiery interplay. The session's closer, Clare Fischer's "Pensativa" (brought to the Messengers songbook by Hubbard), would remain a favorite with Blakey for years. A passionate Jazz Messengers workout that proves essential.

Tracklist:

01 - Free for All
02 - Hammer Head
03 - The Core
04 - Pensativa

Produced by Alfred Lion. Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder.
Recorded on February 10, 1964 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Musicians:
Art Blakey - drums
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
Curtis Fuller - trombone
Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
Cedar Walton - piano
Reggie Workman - bass

High Resolution Mastering by Alan Yoshida and Robin Lynn at Blanche DuBois, April 2012.

In preparing these hi def remasters, we were very conscientious about maintaining the feel of the original releases while adding a previously unattainable transparency and depth. It now sounds like you've set up your chaise lounge right in the middle of Rudy Van Gelder's studio!” - -Blue Note President, Don Was.

Thanks to the Original customer!